


Kiss Me By Your Hand

by BMO_IS_OMNIC



Category: Incredibles (Pixar Movies)
Genre: Angst, Cheating, F/F, F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-08-17 03:56:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16508936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BMO_IS_OMNIC/pseuds/BMO_IS_OMNIC
Summary: They shouldn't be seeing each other, they shouldn't want to be around each other, and they shouldn't be thinking of each other. It was all because of that feeling the first time they met.





	1. Because We're Friends

“All rise.”

The sound of heels clacking on the floor filled the room as the crowd stood on their feet. The room was packed with little room to spare. Unfamiliar strangers’ shoulders pushed against each other as they struggled to make space to stand still.

“The Superior Court of Metroville is now in session. Honorable Judge William presiding.”

The judge waved his hand in dismissal. “Please be seated.”

The crowd sat down as quickly as they stood up.

The judge sat in his chair and weaved his fingers together. He looked around the room and noticed that the majority of the people in the room had large cameras around their necks. They readily had notepads and pens in their hands with anticipation on their faces. “Now, I understand that the public is very interested in this case, but this case will be tried and treated just as any other case. There will be order in where, and anyone in this room is to respect the court. Is that clear?”

He didn’t leave any time for a respond before speaking again.

“Looks like everyone is present. How are you feeling today, Ms. Deavor? Did you get a good night sleep?” The Judge asked diplomatically.

The woman in the orange uniform gave a light chuckle and leaned forward in her seat, putting her hands together on the table. “Yes, your Honor. Although I’m not sure how my back will like it if I continue to stay in my lovely cell.” She pushed her back forward with her hands, stretching in exaggeration to make her point.

“Yes, I’m sure Metroville's jail is just as comfortable as your own bed at your multi-million dollar estate.” He wasn't trying to be insulting, but it wasn’t clear if he meant it in a sarcastic way or if it was an attempt to joke. “The reason we are here today is to determine whether you can set bail and go home today, or spend more days in jail until your next hearing. Counsels, are you ready to proceed?” He asked as he turned his attention away from Evelyn, leaving no time for her to respond.

“Yes, your Honor,” a woman in black suit stood up as she answered. She looked like she was in her late 30's or maybe early 40's. Her golden hair swayed as she looked down to meet Evelyn’s eyes.

The Judge looked over to the other table. “We’re ready to proceed, your Honor.” The district attorney answered with prominent eagerness in his voice. He looked like he was pumped with adrenaline, as he was about to begin perhaps what would be the biggest case of his career.

“Good. Let’s begin.”

With his approval, Evelyn’s attorney begin. “Your Honor, we’re requesting the court for Ms. Deavor’s bail. Ms. Deavor has no history of criminal offense. A psychiatric evaluation was performed last night which cleared her from unstable mental state or behavior that would harm herself or others. She is ready to be released your Honor.”

The district attorney shook his head in disbelief. “Your Honor, with all due respect, Ms. Deavor is being charged with terrorism, attempted first degree murder of United Nation ambassadors, first degree assault of Supers, and many more. It would be negligent for the court to overlook Ms. Deavor’s most recent behaviors and release her on bail. It’s a known fact that she’s a multi-billionaire with countless resources to flee the country with little to no effort.” It was evident that he tried to hide the incredulity in his tone, but he failed to no avail.

“Your Honor, Ms. Deavor has been nothing but cooperative since her encounter with the police yesterday. Ms. Deavor has no intention of fleeing the country to avoid judgement. In fact, Ms. Deavor temporarily evoked her access to her private jets and other transportation methods through power of attorney yesterday,” she said, as she handed a over the evidence to the clerk. “Ms. Deavor has voluntarily restricted her travel capabilities to demonstrate to the court that she is not a flight risk. She simply wants to return home, where her family is.” The woman gestured her hand towards Evelyn. The fact and the sincerity was convincing, but the way she displayed a concerned look as she spoke about Evelyn’s family was almost moving.

The Judge quickly scanned through the document before him before putting it down on the table. He gathered his hands, nodding as he processed the information.

The district attorney threw his copy of the evidence on the table and rushed up to the Judge to interrupt him before he could make up his mind. “Your Honor, Ms. Deavor’s _family_ , is under indictment for suspected collusion of terrorism. Granting bail not only does give Ms. Deavor the time and ability to align her stories with her brother, but it also-,”

“I am granting bail for Ms. Deavor.”

He didn’t get to finish his words.

“You Honor-,” the district attorney was persistent, he started again to persuade the Judge.

The Judge held up his index finger, prohibiting him from speaking further.

“I am granting bail for Ms. Deavor for $3 billion dollars.” The room broke out in small whisper that grew louder by the second. The Judge rapped his gavel loudly to silence the room. “I’m sure you will have something to say, won’t you counsel?”

“I do, your Honor,” she said as she removed a string of hair away from her face. She had a passive smile hanging on her lips. She was about to speak, but a slender hand grabbed her by the wrist and lightly squeezed it.

“Your Honor, if I may speak for a second,” Evelyn spoke on behalf of the woman beside her. Evelyn shot her a quick look, giving her a knowing smile with her eyes.

“Yes, of course,”” he said, as he gestured for her to go on. “You’re always welcome to speak up in this court, although I’m not sure if your lawyer would like that very much." Small chuckels were distantly heard in the room.

“We can all sit here and listen to my attorney arguing the reasonableness of the bail amount, but in respect to the court's time, and to save us all time,” she tilted her head and drawled ‘and’ as she said it, “I am willing to set bail for $3 billion dollars.”

“Yes, it’s nice to be rich, isn’t it?” He asked as he nodded, but his tone was disapproving. 

“Not when you have to pay $3 billion dollars, your Honor,” she said with a crooked grin, and it got a small chuckle out of the Judge. It was never too difficult for Evelyn to figure out her ways around the audience. She knew how to charm people when she wanted to. After all, she was her brother's sister.   

*

“You appointed me to be your lawyer,” she sneered. The red lipstick reminded Evelyn of an angered red viper. “You do not get to step in whenever you want to speak, you can only speak when _I_ or the Judge give you permission.”

Evelyn looked out the window through the tinted window. The reporters and the crowd swarmed to see her, hovering over her limo like moths around the lamplight at night. “I did get permission, from the Judge,” she mumbled through her hand that was resting on her chin.

“Do you realize that your bail amount is the highest set in history? I could’ve easily negotiated to be much less.” She didn’t look at Evelyn as she spoke.

“Oh, come on,” Evelyn gave an exasperated sigh. “Does it even matter? We’ll get it back after the trial anyways.”

“It’s not just about the money!” She finally yelled in frustration. “It also has to do with the way your case will be perceived. Your bail was set at $3 billion dollars, Evelyn. Which means that you’re viewed as a significant risk and a threat to the country.”

“I am a significant risk, especially to your career.” Evelyn didn’t sound upset as she said it. “So why are you here to defend me? We didn’t exactly end on good terms, the last we saw each other.” Evelyn spoke without turning her face away from the window. Her eyes shifted to gauge the other woman’s reaction.

Evelyn saw wild flames of anger swirling in the woman’s golden eyes, and it was to be expected, but when the flames died down, all that was left were guilt and anguish.

“Because we’re friends,” she said, meekly. It was hard to imagine that she was the same woman who spoke with such clarity and confidence in a room full of people.

Evelyn looked down and caught a shiny piece of jewelry on her fourth finger. Her mouth tasted sour. ‘Friend, what a convenient word,’ she thought to herself. Evelyn didn’t say another word until they reached her high rise. 

 


	2. I Can't Talk About It

“Bail? She set bail?” His hands pointed to the television showing a news anchor on screen. 

 

“She tried to murder innocent people, and she gets to go home after one day in jail?” His voice boomed in the large living room area, echoing his words loud enough to reach the other end of the mansion. 

 

“I told you she would just get a slap on the wrist,” Violet said while rolling her eyes. 

 

“What does bail mean? Does that mean she went rogue?” Dash asked excitedly. “Does that mean we get to catch her since she’s a bad guy? I bet I could catch her all by myself!”

 

“Calm down, Dash. It just means that she gets to go home until she goes back to the court,” Helen explained in a tone that indicated she was impartial about this subject. 

 

“But why? It doesn’t make sense that she get to go home after she tried to murder hundreds of people,” Violet raised her voice in frustration.

 

“That’s the law, honey. Innocent until proven guilty,” Helen said with a sigh.

 

“Here we go again, the law is wrong!” Bob’s voice was far too loud, loud enough to startle Jack-Jack. “What are we teaching our kids? That it’s okay to commit serious crimes if you’re wealthy?” 

 

“And we’ve been over this already.” Helen restrained her impulse to match Bob’s volume. “We are teaching them to respect the law, and work within the system to change the law if it’s wrong. Otherwise we just have chaos!” 

 

“Well that lady tried to change the law by breaking it, didn’t she?” Violet asked, her eyes darting between Helen and Bob to read their expressions. “And she was caught, but she still gets to go home without restrictions. That doesn’t look like a chaos to me.”

 

Helen opened her mouth before closing it. She blinked a few time before she spoke. “It has been a chaos, for me,” Helen said in a much smaller voice as she wrapped her arm around her stomach. Her face was stained with pain. “I’m going to,” she hesitated for a second, looking for an excuse to leave the conversation. “I’m going to go do the laundry,” she said, before she walked away. The whole family’s eyes followed her until she disappeared into the shadows around the corner. 

 

Violet and Dash exchanged a look before looking at their dad. Noticing their attention, Bob forced a smile to soften the mood. “Kids, let’s just give your mom some space about this, okay? She’s been through a lot.” And that was the end of the conversation on the matter. 

 

*

 

Helen shut the laundry door and pressed the start button. The machine hummed in harmonious notes letting her know that it was starting the wash cycle. Soon, red and black started swirling in circle. Helen turned around and leaned against the machine, letting gravity pull her down as she slid down to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her bunched up knees and buried her face between them. 

 

It has been only a day. It wasn’t enough time to process everything that happened in the past week. She needed to be alone, to think and make sense of all that’s happened. She was simply exhausted. It was not long ago that she rescued her husband off of a strange island. The days she spent at the motel after their house blew up, the encounter with the police after fighting the Underminer, the campaign to advocate for the Supers, and saving the city from its demise finally caught up to her. 

 

She has been betrayed twice in the span of only few months, and even through the pain, she tried her best to keep her family safe. She was betrayed by her husband who she built a life with, and by a woman who she thought could be a friend. And despite it all, she jumped into danger to save them both without a single doubt. 

 

The years she spent putting her family’s needs above hers, fulfilling her duties as a mom and more when her husband was absent, and the responsibilities she’s had to juggle all up to this point was suddenly too overwhelming to her. Although she managed to save herself and Evelyn from falling into the abyss, it felt like she was drowning, slowly suffocating as the water filled her lungs and the pressure of the ocean crushed her body. 

 

There was a tentative knock before the door opened with a creek. “Honey, are you doing alright in here?“ 

 

Helen didn’t raise her head from her knees. 

 

Bob walked over and kneeled beside her, putting his hand gently on her shoulder. “I know you’ve been through a lot,” he started, “-and I wasn’t there to know what really happened from start to finish.” Bob sighed before he continued. “I know the court and the lawyers will want your side of the story, whether it’s to legalize Supers again, or to prosecute  _ her _ .”

 

The way he addressed Evelyn almost made Helen flinch. “I can’t talk about it,” she said, her face still buried in her knees. 

 

“Okay,” he cooed, as if he was dealing with a small wounded animal. “You don’t have to tell me until you’re ready, okay? But I’m here if you need a listening ear.”

 

His words were genuine, which made it even more ironic and funny to Helen. She didn’t know if she wanted to laugh or cry, to hear him say that she can count on him. 

 

The man she fell in love with slowly vanished along with his identity as a hero. He couldn’t grasp the concept of not being a Super, especially during the first few years. When he finally realized that his actions were causing a tremendous distress for Helen and the newborn baby, he decided to accept his situation. As the years passed by, he seemed to have gotten lost in his daydreams, reminiscing his glory days. His responsibilities were often shuffled to Helen. He went through the motion as a father and as a husband, but he neglected to fully participate in the mediocrity the non-Supers offered. Over the fifteen-year period as illegals, she had gotten used to his absence. 

 

She had waited for him for fifteen years, and when he finally said the words she had been waiting for, it sounded foreign to her ear. 

 

*

 

“-and in recognition of extraordinary service they have demonstrated, the legal status of Superheroes is hereby restored.” The judge rapped his gavel in one swift motion, making his words official. It was done, the Supers have become legal again. 

 

Helen instantly turned to Bob. He had a giant grin on his face, one she didn’t get to see often in the last fifteen years. He had that dreamy look in his eyes, the look he got whenever he talked about being Supers again. When he finally looked down and their eyes met, Helen let out a laugh in triumph. 

 

*

 

“We’re going to have to talk about what this means, for us,” Helen turned to the driver’s seat, trying to meet Bob’s eyes.

 

“It means that we’ll get to be Supers again!” He was wild-eyed with excitement. “Yeah, baby!” The car swirled as he stuck his fist out of the car window. 

 

“Yes, but that’s not what we need to discuss,” she said, indignantly. 

 

“Well, what else is there to talk about? We’ll be fighting crime as a family now.” Bob was genuinely confused. Last Bob recalled, most of the issues and the arguments between them arose from the legality of Supers. Now that the Supers were legal again, Bob didn’t understand why they needed to have a conversation, other than to discuss when or where their first mission would be as legal Supers. 

 

Helen sighed quietly, her hand massaging her temple to manage her headache. It was clear that her husband didn’t look beyond what was in front of him, and Helen was growing impatient to spell out everything for him. “Bob, it’ll take time for the government to set up a new department for Supers. They’ll have to figure out budgeting for the damages we might cause, and stipend to support Supers. We’re both jobless right now. We would be homeless if it wasn’t for Winston’s generous offer to have us continue our stay in his mansion.” His small ‘oh’ was ignored before Helen continued. “Besides, we’ll have to figure out how we’ll balance the Superhero work and our family. Vi and Dash still need to go to school, and Jack-Jack needs full-time care.”

 

He sat up straight and puffed out his chest, doing his best in the driver’s seat to do his hero stance. “We’ll figure it out, we always have,” he said in that cheeky tone he used on the day of their wedding, when he told Helen to not to worry. 

 

It was always Helen who had to figure it out. 

 

“And I still need to appear in court to testify.” Her headache was getting worse, maybe it was a side effect from those goggles. She felt more irritable and she had frequent headaches since Evelyn’s arrest.

 

“You’ll be incredible,” he looked over to Helen with a grin, waiting for a response to his ‘clever’ pun. When he got no response, he continued. “You did a great job for our case, so I’m sure you’ll do great for this one too.” He looked at Helen with his eyes glowing in pride.  

 

She gave him a small smile in appreciation, but there was a sinking feeling in her stomach that wouldn’t go away. She hasn’t seen Evelyn since her arrest, and her face was barely shown on the TV as she made her way to the limo when she set bail. Helen wondered how Evelyn would react when she showed up to testify to the court of her wrong doings. Would she fain innocence and accuse her of lying? Or would she scowl for ruining her plan and ratting her out? Different scenarios played within her head, and it always ended with Evelyn cursing Elastigirl’s existence. 

 

Helen closed her eyes, convincing herself that she wouldn’t have to see Evelyn again after her testimony, but it didn’t bring her the comfort she strived for. 

 


	3. I'm Not Responsible For You

“Do you swear that the evidence you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”

 

“I do,” Helen said, solemnly. 

 

The district attorney was glowing, he has been waiting for this moment since the very start of this case. There couldn’t have been a better witness than the very Super who lead the Super’s legalization case. She was personable, articulate, and quick-witted. Elastigirl couldn’t have been more perfect for his case. 

 

“Good morning, thank you so much for taking your precious time to testify to the court today.” Helen nodded in response. “Can you, in your own words, explain what happened on EverJust on the day of the crash?”

 

Helen was all too familiar with the process, she simply had to repeated the words she had already said during Super’s trial. “As soon as I found out that the Screenslaver that I originally caught wasn’t the right person, I attempted to tell Evelyn Deavor,” she said as she glanced over to look at Evelyn, but Evelyn had her eyes fixed to the front. “When I pulled the hidden hypno-goggle out of the Screenslaver’s mask, Evelyn forced it over my eyes, making me lose memory for a period of time.” 

 

Helen was not the type of person to get nervous in front of the crowd. Everyone was listening to her intently, except for one person. Maybe she didn't want to be reminded of her deeds, or maybe she didn't want to see Elastigirl again since she single-handedly ruined her master plan to ban Supers forever. “When I did get the goggles off, I immediately removed the same goggles from other Supers before I saw her escaping in her jet.”

 

Helen carefully recalled her memory, organizing her thoughts before she continued. “When I got on the jet to stop her from escaping, she purposely flew the jet in a reckless pattern, so I would suffer from hypoxia. Then, she said, and I quote, ‘The reputation of superheroes are ruined. You will never become legal, ever,’ before leaving me on the floor to die,” Helen could feel herself getting emotional, her throat felt tight as she spoke. “I was lucky enough to find an emergency signal gun. I aimed and took a shot at her, making her fly out of the jet. As soon as I had enough oxygen, I changed the course of the jet to save her.” 

 

“And to your knowledge, while Ms. Deavor was piloting the jet, has she tried to alert the authorities that EverJust was about crash into the city ?” 

 

“No, she did not.”

 

“No further questions, your Honor,” he said with a smug smile. “And thank you for your service to this country.” He walked away as he eyed the blonde woman from the other table. “Your witness.” 

 

She responded with a a sinister smirk as he passed by. It was so quick no one else saw it, but it caught Helen’s eyes. 

 

“Good morning, Mrs. Incredible,” she said as she approached Helen. Her white skirt suit was too bright for her eyes, it made Helen squint a little. 

 

“Elastigirl, “ Helen corrected. “And good morning to you too.”

 

The woman didn’t seem taken aback at all. “Of course, my apologies, Elastigirl,” she said with a bright smile. She wasn’t apologetic at all, and Helen couldn’t help but sense a faint belittlement as she said her hero name. 

 

“It sounds like there was a lot going on. By the way your describe it, it sounds like a very high stress situation for even the most veteran Supers out there,” she said, as she pointed the pen in her hand towards Helen.

 

“It was,” Helen said curtly. She didn’t like this woman, there was something about her she couldn't quite place her finger on, but something about this woman made her uneasy. 

 

The woman put her hand over her lips, looking deep in thought. “How did you get into the jet? Were you able to make it on to the jet before it took off?” 

 

“No, Voyd created a portal so I can slip through the dimension to get into the engine room.”

 

“So my client didn’t know you were on the plane when she departed from the ship?”

 

“Yes.”

 

She was tapping her pen against her hand now, it made Helen scrunch her eyebrows in annoyance. “Let me summarize. My client didn’t know you were on board, and when she did find you, you were suffering from extreme hypoxia. Is that correct?”

 

“Yes, but I was suffering from hypoxia _because_ she intentionally flew the jet to higher altitude. Evelyn knew I was on board, she said ‘Welcome aboard,’ shortly after I made it on to the jet. She wanted to deprive me of oxygen,” she said, defensively. Helen could feel herself becoming tense. 

 

The woman seemed disinterested in what Helen had to say. “Can you please describe how you felt, when you were suffering from hypoxia?”

 

Helen was now glaring at the woman. “I felt loopy, and everything started to look funny to me. The oxygen masks were too far away from me to reach it.” 

 

The woman's golden eyes sparkled, she had the look of a predator that aligned its prey in the perfect position. “Elastigirl,” there was that tone again, “Couldn’t it have been that my client didn’t know you were on board, and when she did find you, you were suffering from hypoxia?” She said in the most patronizing way possible, as if Helen was a five year-old who had her facts confused. “And when she tried to save you, you picked up the emergency signal gun instead and shot her with it.” 

 

The prosecutor shot up from his seat faster than any Supers Helen knew. “Objection! Counsel is testifying!” 

 

The woman gave an exasperated look before turning to the Judge. “Your Honor, it is a known fact that people tend to hallucinate when they lack oxygen supplies. Elastigirl didn’t have an oxygen mask on her at the time, so we question her ability to recall her memories with accuracy.” 

 

Helen vaguely heard the raised voices and arguments between the lawyer and the prosecutor. She didn’t care for them, she expected these types of questions to rile her up and twist the facts. But when she looked at Evelyn, the lack of eye-contact fired her up inside with an insurmountable anger. 

 

*

 

When the Judge demanded a recess, Evelyn was the first to make her way out of the room. Before she can bolt, her attorney grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”

 

“I’m going to the bathroom,” she said as she pulled her arm away from her attorney. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Evelyn was irritated and somewhat disturbed. The lawyer gave a little nod in understanding, awkwardly putting her hand back down to her side. 

 

Helen followed suit, quickly walking over to the bathroom as the door closed behind Evelyn, shutting the sight of Evelyn out of her eyes. When she entered, she saw Evelyn standing in front of the bathroom sink, her hands supporting her weight over the sink. 

 

“So you don’t even acknowledge me anymore?” Helen asked, as she closed the bathroom door behind her. She didn’t mean for her tone to be so harsh and accusing. 

 

Evelyn heard footsteps beside her, closing the gap between them. She was a figure approaching her in the corner of her eye, but she was determine to examine a small crack on the sink.  

 

“Wow, mean I get it, now that I’m not useful to you, you don’t want to have anything to do with me.” There was suppressed anger in her voice. “But you can't even look me in the eyes? After denying all that you’ve done and said to me?”

 

Evelyn grabbed the edge of the sink tighter until her knuckles turned white. Her jaw muscles jumped as she clenched her jaw tightly, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried to restrain herself. 

 

Helen waited for an answer, and when she realized that Evelyn wasn’t going to answer her, she took that final step to narrow the distance between them. 

 

“Look at me!” She demanded as she grabbed Evelyn’s shoulder, turning her around. 

 

It’s been two months since she last saw Evelyn in person. Her hair was a bit longer than she remembered, long enough to reach her eyes now. Her skin looked more pale, unlike the sun-kissed skin tone she had before, and she looked thinner than Helen remembered. When she met her pale blue eyes, and it wasn’t what she expected to see. 

 

Of all the scenarios she went through in her head, this wasn't it. She didn’t expect to see Evelyn’s blue eyes glistening with tears.

 

“You want praise for saving me?” She walked towards Helen, forcing Helen to retrieve back. “You saved me when I didn’t ask you to,” she pushed Helen on her shoulder with her hand, making Helen hit the wall behind her. Helen grimaced in pain. “And now, I’m left to pick up the broken pieces alone.”

 

Helen was speechless for a second before she realized what was happening. 

 

“Are you,  _ accusing me _ , for not looking after you?” She said angrily as she pushed herself off the wall. She tilted her head up to meet the taller woman’s eyes. “What, you think I need to help you deal with all of this because I decided to save your life?” She her eyes were wide with rage, one that Evelyn hasn’t seen before. 

 

“You put my family in danger. You put my  _ kids _ in danger!” She jabbed her finger against Evelyn’s chest. “You befriended me and betrayed me!” Elastigirl’s eyes gathered moisture, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Evelyn. “You’re the one who caused this, and I’m not responsible for you.” Helen surprised herself with just how callous she could sound. 

 

Evelyn drew herself back, her eyes blinked a few times. “So don’t bother saving me the next time I fall,” she spat out her words as if it were poison in her mouth before storming out of the bathroom. 

 

Of all the scenarios that played within Helen’s head, this wasn’t it.


	4. Mom!

Helen groaned in agony at the sound of the alarm blazing off. Her head was pounding with every beat of the alarm, ringing her head at a set pace. Burrowing her head deeper into the pillows, she stretched her arm and fumbled around to find the alarm clock. When she finally felt a rectangular box underneath her hands, she smacked it with more force than she needed, shutting off the alarm in an instant. 

 

Helen kept her eyes closed, willing herself to fall back asleep, but her senses were already awake, picking up little noises through her bedroom door. Giving up, Helen forced herself to sit up in bed. Her eyes were bloodshot, and there were bags hanging under her eyes. It’s been four days since she had a goodnight’s sleep. Helen tried everything, from counting sheeps to exercising, reading, watching TV, drinking tea, and just plain ol’ drinking. 

 

When she finally did fall asleep, she had nightmares. Helen didn’t remember where or what she was doing in the dream, but she always vaguely remembered the feeling of being suffocated, panting for more air but never getting enough. 

 

Helen blamed all of this on  _ her _ . She has been the very center of Helen’s stress since the incident. Evelyn had no right to be angry at her, she had no right to say those things to her. 

 

Despite the chaos Evelyn has caused, she couldn’t stop thinking about what she said. Evelyn wanted to be left alone, but Helen couldn’t help but wonder what she meant by broken pieces. Did she mean that her life fell apart because of Helen? Or did she mean that Evelyn herself was broken and had fallen apart?

 

Evelyn looked like she was at the very edge of the cliff, as if she was going to take that final leap and say her fairware at any second. The raw vulnerability Evelyn showed resonated with Helen to a degree where she didn’t quite understand herself why she was so obsessed with this woman’s wellbeing. 

 

“Mom!” Violet yelled with desperation.

 

Helen sighed and got up, with three kids and a husband who was roaming around the street fighting the bad guys, she couldn’t expect to sleep in on a Saturday. 

 

*

 

The kids were fed, the mess Dash made while trying to pour himself cereal was cleaned up, and Violet’s history report was completed. By then, the whole morning was gone and the sun was well on its way to disappear for the day. It felt like she was back in her old life, feeding kids breakfast, sending them off to school, playing with Jack-Jack, grocery shopping, making dinner, helping kids with homework, tucking them in, and waiting for her husband. 

 

Bob had been busy, and he still tried to help out with the kids and household chores, but his mind was occupied reliving the hero days he had dreamed of for the past fifteen years. She wished she had someone to talk to, about what had happened with Evelyn, about what’s been going on with her lately, the insomnia and the nightmares. But she knew that speaking to Bob about it would be a mistake. Bob wasn’t a spiteful man, but the way Bob spoke of Evelyn was something to be reckoned with. 

 

She reached her hand out towards the phone, and drew her hand back. She reached out again, only to retrieve her hand even faster than she had before. 

 

“Mom, can I use the phone? Tony is supposed to call tonight!” Violet yelled through the door. 

 

“No, for the last time, you can use it after I’m done with it!” Helen yelled in the same fashion as her daughter. She could hear her daughter growling through the door, but she chose to ignore it. 

 

Helen exhaled slowly and finally grabbed the phone. She punched the dials with her thumb as her eyes rolled across the business card on the desk. The phone started ringing. Once, twice, before - 

 

“Elastigirl, I’m so happy that you called!” The enthusiasm broke through the phone, temporarily deafening Helen. “I couldn’t believe my own eyes when my phone showed that it was coming from the Incredibles’ mansion! How the heck are you? What can I do you for?”

 

“I’m-I’m doing good, Winston,” she ran her fingers through her hair, “How-uh, how are ya?” She asked, trying her best to match Winston’s pace and energy. 

 

“I’m doing swell! Couldn’t be better! As you’ve heard, I’m under investigation, but Supers have been very supportive of me, speaking out and testifying on my behalf”

 

Helen couldn’t grasp the scale of this man’s optimism, maybe he was so used to playing the part as a salesman that he forgot how to be disappointed or depressed. 

 

“And I couldn’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me, and my sister.” Helen knew he was being earnest in his appreciation, but Helen couldn’t help but feel that the way he spoke sounded like he was making a sales pitch to her. 

 

“It’s my job, as a Super. You don’t have to thank me everytime,” Helen said as she gave an awkward laugh. “Speaking of your sister, have you,” she hesitated, “Have you seen to her recently? How is she?” Helen squeezed her eyes shut as she bent down to put her face onto her open palm. She couldn’t have been more obvious. She couldn’t even talk to Winston for a full minute before asking about his sister. “I just-I ran into her when I was at court, and she didn’t look like she was doing too well.”

 

When there wasn’t an immediate response, Helen knew something was up. 

 

“To be honest, I can’t tell you how she is because I haven’t talked to her recently. I actually haven’t seen her since she was arrested.” 

 

Helen’s head shot up. “Wait, wasn’t she released because she wanted to be with family?” Helen held the phone tighter in her hands. 

 

“That is what was said during court, but Evelyn’s lawyer and our company lawyers recommended that we don’t speak to each other until my investigation is complete.”

 

Then it dawned on her. Evelyn was right, she really was alone. Helen has always believed in strong repercussions for bad actions, but she couldn’t help but empathize with Evelyn. The thought of having to face the world’s judgement and wrath all alone seemed almost unbearable. 

 

Helen wanted to say something, but she was lost for words. She wanted to encourage Winston to go see her, but it wasn’t Helen’s place to say such things, and Evelyn made it clear that she didn’t want Helen’s involvement. 

 

“The good news it that the investigation is almost under wrap,” he chimed cheerfully. 

 

“That is good news,” she said, snapping out of her stun. “I’m just surprised-I thought you two lived in the same mansion, working together and all.” Helen bit her nails, hoping that Winston would take the bait and overshare the information she was looking for. 

 

“Ah-we used to, but after our parents passed away, she wanted her own space. Plus, she spent most of her time at the company lab anyways, so it made sense for her to get a closer place from work. Mountainview Palace really reflects more of her taste.” And there it was. “I prefer mansions with surrounding nature with big open space, sort of like the place you guys are staying at.” 

 

Helen mindlessly repeated ‘uh-huh’ as Winston went on and on about his preference in housing.  

 

“Anyways, thanks for the reminder. I will go see her once the investigation is over. And I’m saying this at the risk of sounding like a broken record, but I can’t fathom just how caring you are to worry about her, after all she’s done.” There was a bite in his last word. “I think Supers, not even just Supers,” he said, dismissing his own words, “I think  _ all of us  _ can learn a thing or two from you.”

 

Helen rolled her eyes playfully. “Okay, now you really are sounding like a broken record.”

 

“Well it’s true! If you need anything from me, anything at all, just let me know. I can’t thank you enough.” 

 

“Mom!” Violet wailed, dragging it out until she was out of breath. “Can I use the phone now? Please?” She dragged out ‘please’ just as she did with ‘mom’.   

 

Winston chuckled. “Sounds like you’ve gotta go.”

 

“Yeah, sounds like it,” Helen said, giving a little chuckle to hide her embarrassment. 

 

“Don’t hesitate to call, okay? it’s always a pleasure to talk to you.”

 

“I got it,” Helen laughed, this man’s persistence really was something. “Talk to you later.”

 

She muttered a quick goodbye before she emerged out of the room, phone in her hand. 

 

Violet turned from the couch, her eyes twinkling at the site of the wireless phone in Helen’s hand. “Thank god! Why doesn’t this stupid house have two phones? What if you lose your phone and can’t find it in this giant house? Wouldn’t you need a second phone to find it?”

 

Helen silently offered the phone to Violet. Despite her teenage daughter’s grumpy mumbles, Helen couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face. She picked up Jack-Jack from his baby chair and twirled in a circle, eliciting a burst of laughter from the baby. 

 

“Who wants breakfast for dinner?”

 

Dash screamed in delight, and Jack-Jack followed suit even though he didn’t quite understand what Dash was so happy about. 

 

*

 

Evelyn grabbed two whiskey glass from the cupboard, her other hand holding onto the neck of the whiskey bottle. She walked over to the balcony and set the glass and the whiskey down on the table. The sun had set long ago, with thin crescent moon being the only thing that emitted light in the night sky. The sound of loud honking cars and angry men yelling were all gone, just silence filling the night.

 

Evelyn poured herself some whiskey and took as seat on the chair. She closed her eyes and felt the summer breeze tickle her face. This was Evelyn’s favorite time of the day. She heard footsteps approaching her, stopping near the balcony door. She didn’t have to open her eyes to know that she was being studied. 

 

“You really should cut back on drinking, god knows how many times your housekeeper had to refill your alcohol cabinet in the past week.” She kept her tone light, trying to settle somewhere between friendly and worried. 

 

Evelyn just kept her eyes closed. 

 

“Pour me one?” She asked, but it was really a request for a conversation.

 

Evelyn couldn’t help but snicker inside, it was such a hippocratic thing to do, to berate someone just to do it themselves in seconds later. 

 

“This isn’t for you,” Evelyn said, opening her eyes and glancing over to the empty glass in front of her.

 

A heavy sigh. “I know you didn’t agree with my court strategy, but it had to be done.”

 

Evelyn roller her head to face the other woman. Her golden hair shined brightly in the moonlight. Evelyn remembered just how often she complimented her beautiful golden locks, how her hair was the brightest thing she could see after the sunset. She met her golden eyes, eyes that used to remind her of the subtle shade of sun at dawn. It was almost comical how something she used to love so much looked so dull now.

 

“There were no recorded footages from Supers’ cameras, it would be stupid not to take advantage of that. Without evidence, it’s a classic he-said-she-said situation. Any lawyer who knows what they’re doing would’ve done the exact same thing as me.” Evelyn opened her mouth in contest, but the woman just spoke louder to deny her chance to speak. “And knowing you, I know destroying any evidence that might incriminate you was the first thing you did when you realized that you plan was failing,” she said, her lips contorting into a smirk. Evelyn felt like she was going to be sick. 

 

Evelyn shot up from her seat, her glass still in hand. She felt some whiskey spilling out of the glass, drentching her hand. “Oh, so you’ve been back in my life for what-a day now, after you left me over a decade ago, and now you think you’re an expert?” She shook her head and laughed in disbelief. 

 

“I’ve known you for thirty years, so yes, I think I have a pretty good idea of how you work,” she said, narrowing her eyes. She was somewhat used to Evelyn’s persistent attempt to guilt-trip her for her absence.

“You’d be surprised, I’ve changed a lot since then,” she said, not even bothering to hide her aggressiveness.  

 

She knew, and she partially blamed herself for that. 

 

Evelyn continued when she caught the other woman’s hesitancy to fight back. “You didn’t even  _ call _ when they passed away, and they treated you like their own daughter.” 

 

Her heart almost broke when she saw Evelyn’s blue eyes fill with pain at the memory of her loss. 

 

“I’m sorry about your parents, I tried-,” she caught herself off, realizing that she was making an excuse. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I know I wasn’t there for you when you needed me, but I’m here now. I’m trying to help you put your life back together, please let me help you,” she implored. 

 

Evelyn gave a hollow laugh, the kind you know that the person has given up. “You can’t fix it.” 

 

“I’m still going to try.” There was a determined passion in the way she said it, but Evelyn couldn’t bring herself to care anymore. 

 

She plopped back down in her chair and tilted her head back until it rested on the back of the chair. She settled her arm and the glass on the chair arm and draped her other arm over her eyes to block everything out of her sight. She heard feet shuffling beside her for a minute before she heard the woman’s utterance of goodnight. The footsteps got smaller until she couldn’t hear anything else other than the cool breeze. 

 

She uncovered her eyes and looked over to the table where the empty, unused whiskey glass was placed. It was a beautiful glass, made by the finest craftsmen from France. Evelyn had to fight nail and tooth to take them from Winston after their parents passed away. She was very fond of it. She remembered having drinks with her dad after a long day of work, or the time she celebrated her graduation for becoming the very first woman to receive a dual PhD degree in mechanical engineering and computer science. From special occasions to a regular day, the glass was filled with happy memories. 

 

It was all polished and ready to be used, and it made Evelyn sad to see it glimmer so beautifully under the moonlight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t express how much I appreciate your comments and kudos! I’m trying to upload at least once a week, but my schedule is pretty insane right now. So bare with me!


	5. Despite Our Core Beliefs

“The kids are asleep, but if Jack-Jack somehow sneaks out again-” She moved her hands busily, her fingers counting all the possible detail Bob would have to know in case of emergencies. 

 

“Honey, relax. I’ve done this before, remember?” 

 

Helen let out a deep sigh. “I know, I know,” she said, shaking her head. She looked up at Bob with a grateful smile. “Thanks, honey. I’ll be back before dawn.” 

 

She gave him a quick peck on the lips before leaving the house.  

 

* * *

 

Evelyn sat two glass on the table along with a new bottle of whiskey, which has become her ritual for the past two weeks. She poured herself a glass of whiskey, and another, and another until she was tired and drunk enough to fall asleep, and there sat an empty, unused glass next to her full glass of whiskey every night. 

 

She poured herself a drink and sat down in her balcony chair. Her finger mindlessly followed the rim of the glass, her eyes fixed on the moon that was getting fuller by day. It was just shy of a full moon.  

 

There was a strong gust of wind followed by the sound of hills clacking on the surface of her balcony. 

 

“So this is it, huh? You’re going to drink yourself to death before your trail is even over.”

 

Evelyn couldn’t help but grin at the guest in red and black tights. This woman, against all odds, came to see her again.  

 

“This is hardly enough for an alcohol poisoning,” she said as she took another sip of whiskey, deliberately keeping her eye contact with Helen as she did. 

 

Helen crossed her arms and gave her a displeased look. 

 

“Care to join me? It’s no fun if you’re only watching. But then again, that was the point I was trying to make before, but look where that got me.” She gave Helen a smirk.

 

Helen didn’t say anything, but Evelyn got up and poured Helen a drink anyways, placing the drink on the opposite side of the table where Helen was standing. 

 

Evelyn returned to her chair. She crossed her legs, resting her chin in her hand. “So what brings you here?” 

 

“Oh I was just in the neighborhood, catching some bad guys,” she said sarcastically, uncrossing her arms to point her thumb to the back. 

 

Evelyn scanned Helen’s boots and suit, there was no trace of dust or blood on them. Evelyn chuckled. “Catching bad guys, or saving them?” 

 

Helen shrugged. “Can’t it be both?”

 

“Do you want the cynic or the believer?”

 

They were playing their little game again.

 

“The cynic,” Helen said, narrowing her eyes. 

 

“Some people are just born that way, they can’t be saved. You’re just wasting your time trying to help them when they don’t even appreciate you,” Evelyn stated in a  ‘as a matter-of-fact’ tone. 

 

Helen grabbed the drink in front of her and leaned against the balcony fence. “The believer.” She gestured the glass in her hand towards Evelyn, daring her to go on. 

 

“Maybe through proper care and rehabilitation, they can be redeemed to do good in the society. But old habits die hard, and beliefs are much harder to change than habits,” she said, swishing the glass in her hand slowly. 

 

“That really doesn’t sound like what a believer would say,” Helen said, raising her eyebrows. 

 

“I’ve never been much of a believer,” Evelyn said before she took a swig of her whiskey. “And I have good reasons.” 

 

Helen wanted to ask what could’ve possible caused this woman to be so distrusting, to have her eyes turn cold so quickly at the thought of her past. Instead, she mimicked Evelyn and just took another sip of her drink. 

 

“Don’t you get tired, being cynical all the time?” Helen asked, as if she felt exasperated on Evelyn’s behalf. 

 

“No, it helps me analyze situations logically and it protects me from false hope.”

 

“And what logic was behind your scheme?” There was no hesitation as she asked.

 

Evelyn was caught off guard, she didn’t think they would have this conversation so early onto the night. It was almost amusing to find someone who constantly surprised her with unpredictable behaviors. Helen didn’t fit into Evelyn’s equation of people she’s dealt with before, and it made her feel nervous and exhilarated at the same time to see how Helen would react.  

 

“Imagine this, if I built your motorcycle with breaks that only worked sometimes, would you feel safe driving around it? It’s the same thing with Supers. People expect you to be there to protect them at any given moment, without failure. But you’re not gods, you’re just as human as any other. You can’t save everyone,” she said, her long fingers wrapping around the glass tighter. Her shoulders tensed as she spoke. 

 

“No, we can’t save everyone because we’re not gods. But if someone barged in here and demanded your life, I would save you without a doubt,” she said, pointing at the balcony door behind Evelyn. “We save who we can.”

 

“And what happens when you aren’t here?” Evelyn asked, her eyes pleading for an answer she could be convinced with. “I would be a fool to think that I’ll be safe because  _ Elastigirl  _ is coming to save me, just like my dad.” The vitriol in her voice cut through the air. 

 

“But you did trust me to be here, tonight,” she said, as she looked down at the whiskey glass in her hand. “Evelyn, despite everything that’s happened between us, I’m here to make sure that you’re safe. Doesn’t that give you at least a little trust in Supers?” She implored, her eyes searching for an answer in the unyielding blue eyes. “In me?” 

 

Evelyn uncrossed her legs and inched closer to the edge of the seat, her elbows now resting on her knees. “That’s what I don’t understand,” Evelyn said as she furrowed her eyebrows. “ _ Why  _ are you here, despite everything? Is this a normal occurrence for you? To show up to a criminal’s house in the middle of the night, who you helped arrest by the way, just to make sure that they’re safe? You said so yourself, you’re not responsible for me.” 

 

Helen had asked the very question to herself countless times. She wondered why she fished out Evelyn’s address from Winston, why panicked when she saw those blue eyes glisten with tears, or why she felt a pang in her heart when she learned that Evelyn was left alone to deal with her consequences. The more she wracked her brain to find the answer, the more she felt like her thoughts were jumbling into a giant mess that couldn’t be untangled. 

 

“What about you? Why are you waiting for me, despite your beliefs and what you think of me?” 

 

Evelyn opened her mouth briefly before closing it again. She shook her head with a hollow laugh. “I don’t know,” she whispered as she looked away. “I never should’ve-,” she stopped herself, burying her face in her hands.

 

The unspoken words and uncharted feelings between them hung around the air, making each breath a labor. 

 

Evelyn heard the sound of weight settling in the chair next to hers. 

 

“You said that we would’ve been good friends if it weren’t for my core beliefs.” Her words weren’t mocking or accusing. “Do you still believe that?” 

 

Evelyn didn’t answer, her face still hidden behind her hands. Her silence was neither an affirmation nor a denial. 

 

“I think we could be friends, despite our core beliefs” Helen said, as she looked up at the sky. It was a great night to be stargazing. The sky was clear with no trace of clouds, and the stars seemed so much closer at the high rise. It felt as if the stars might fall onto her if she reached for it. 

 

Evelyn bit her lips, she felt like she wanted to cry. She couldn’t remember the last time she cried in the past ten years, but the emotional roller coaster she has been on since she met Helen has finally taken a toll on her. 

 

She lifted her face from her hands to look at the woman who’s caused her so much remorse and conflicted feelings, the very woman who ruined her life. When she saw her masked face, the wave of relief she felt was almost crushing, to see the woman still sitting next to her, looking up at the night sky. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter is very rushed but I really just want this story to get moving!


	6. You Think I'm Insane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recommend that you play this link as you read: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se4YDLVR9qE   
> I have no idea why I can't link this in the notes!

Evelyn felt the sunlight on her face through her closed eyes, the light streaming through the gap between the curtains. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times before she realized that it was perhaps the first time she woke up without a splitting headache or nausea from binge drinking from the day before. She felt well rested, it felt almost refreshing to be awake in the morning, a feeling she hasn’t felt in a long time. 

It felt like an entirely new experience to be able to taste the coffee and not down it for the sake of functionality, to eat food during the normal meal time before feeling queasy and feeling like she was about to pass out. The simplest tasks felt like a burden since she came back home, and she was quickly getting used to the feeling of helplessness. Yet, something changed overnight that gave her that extra push to shower, eat, and start taking care of herself again. It gave her hope that maybe she could get back to normal. 

The doorbell rang twice, followed by an impatient third ring. 

Evelyn hurried to the door, lazily rolling her eyes. She opened the door in one swift motion, a deliberate annoyed look fixed on her face. 

“Oh, you’re awake,” she said, her golden eyes wide with surprise. She eyed Evelyn up and down. She didn’t expect Evelyn to be up and let alone all showered and dressed, ready to start the day. 

“Don’t look so surprised.” Evelyn said, letting herself out of her condo and closing the door behind her. 

“I’m just happy that you’re ready on time for once, so we don’t have to break at least thirty traffic laws to get to court on time.” She seemed genuinely happy to see Evelyn so put together on her own, if her bright smile is any indication. 

“Yeah, but it’s so fun,” Evelyn said while waiting for the elevator. “Where’s that wild side of yours, or have you become a boring suburban housewife after fifteen years?” She asked, lulling her head to face the blonde with a smirk. 

“Oh, it’s still there,” she responded, matching Evelyn’s smirk. She didn’t get to reminisce in her old days for long, as a thought popped in her head. “Do you want to go over the strategies for court today?” She asked casually, but there was a tentative caution behind it.

Evelyn let out a huff, frustrated that the blonde’s mind was too occupied with work to appreciate a nice moment between the two. “Why, does it involve accusing the world's favorite Super a liar?” Evelyn asked as she pressed the close button in the elevator. She was trying to humor the woman next to her, but it came out more aggressive than she thought. 

“No,” she said with a sigh. They’ve been over this before, and she didn’t want to start an argument again. “I’m asking you just in case you wanted to know.” 

Evelyn started at her reflection on the metal surface of the elevator. “Olivia, I’m fine. I can handle myself. You don’t need to babysit me anymore,” she said, dismissing the conversation. 

They stood in silence as the elevator headed down to the lobby. Just before Evelyn was about to exit, Olivia grabbed Evelyn by her wrist and yanked her in, quickly pressing the button to close the elevator door behind her. 

“Why do  _ you _ care that I’m making her out to be a liar? I didn’t think you liked Supers enough to care,” she asked as she narrowed her eyes. Her grip tightened around Evelyn’s wrist. She looked down on Evelyn, her high heels giving her a slight boost to let her tower over the other woman. She was standing close in proximity to feel Evelyn's breath. 

Annoyed at the sudden pull, Evelyn furrowed her brows and looked down where Olivia grabbed her wrist. “Wait,” Evelyn’s lips spread into a cheshire smile. “Are you jealous that I might actually care about her?” 

“Maybe,” she said, matching Evelyn’s smile. She tilted her head slightly and narrowed the space between the two. She looked down at Evelyn’s lips as if she was about to kiss her. “But then again, you caring about  _ Elastigirl _ ? That’s just really messed up.” 

Evelyn’s eyes turned cold, but she didn’t lose the smile. “Speak for yourself,  _ Mrs. Seydoux _ .” 

Evelyn pressed the button and the elevator door opened with an overly cheerful ding. She strutted away, leaving Olivia behind. 

* * *

“Call Dr. Stewart,” Evelyn said as dangled her legs back and forth on the kitchen stool.

“Calling, Dr. Stewart,” a programmed woman’s voice responded. The dialing sound filled the kitchen, and Evelyn nervously fidgeted with the glass in her hand. 

“Hello, Stewart speaking,” a deep middle aged woman’s calming voice echoed in the kitchen. It almost made Evelyn feel silly that she wanted to hang up just the second before. 

“Hi Elizabeth,” Evelyn said, she tried to sound upbeat, but it came out nervous and uncomfortable.

“Evelyn,” she said, she sounded perplexed to find Evelyn on the other side of the phone. “I was hoping you would call.”

“Why, so you can condemn me for wasting all your time and effort you spent on me so I would become a functioning member of the society?” Evelyn asked cautiously, hoping her self-deprecating words would buy her some pity. 

“No, so I can talk to you and make sure that you’re doing okay.”

The amount of care she carried in her voice reminded Evelyn of her mother. No matter what kind of trouble Evelyn was in, she would always make sure that Evelyn was alright before anything. Evelyn suddenly felt like her throat was closing up.

Sensing Evelyn’s difficulty to speak, Elizabeth decided to follow up. “How about you come by tomorrow, does five o’clock work for you?” 

“Yeah, I can make that work,” Evelyn managed to squeeze out, her throat felt scratchy as she did. 

“Alright, I’ll see you then,” she said softly. “Take care of yourself until then, alright?”

Evelyn gave a halfhearted laughter. “I’m trying.”

“I know you are, I’m glad you called.”

And with that, Evelyn couldn’t help the emotional turmoil she’s had over the course of the past month. She quickly hung up the call and finally let out a sob she’s been holding back. She wasn’t expecting so much kindness from anyone, she didn’t feel like she deserved such gentleness from Elastigirl or from her old therapist. 

The mob of people cursing Evelyn’s existence as she she walked back to her limo, the look she received as the doorman opened the door for her, and the anger that flashed in people’s eyes were somethings that Evelyn couldn’t get used to. 

The lack of judgement in the way Elizabeth interacted with Evelyn was something new. It gave her hope that maybe she was capable of changing the way she felt all the time, and maybe even change the things she had done. 

* * *

Evelyn sat two glass and a glass bottle on the balcony table. It almost seemed like she had a bounce to her steps. She’s made remarkable progress in the past week. She started working out again, the first time she started jogging again made her doubt that her windpipe and lungs were working correctly. She did feel a lot better afterwards, her head felt clearer and her body felt lighter. She started working on her inventions again. She started sketching her ideas and concepts out on a sketchbook, but per Dr. Stewart’s suggestion, she limited herself from actually building her designs.

She poured herself a drink and sat down in the chair, slinging both legs on the chair arm. She pulled the sketchbook out along with a pen. The pen effortlessly glided over the paper with a determination. She was fully consumed in her work, she almost jumped out of her seat when she heard Helen clear her throat twice.

“Oh my god,” she yelped, grabbing her heart. “You almost gave me a heart attack!”

Helen couldn’t help but laugh at Evelyn’s reaction. “Sorry, but I’ve been standing here for five minutes. Almost thought about heading back since you were so busy,” she said, leaning against the balcony. “What you got working over there?” She asked, her eyes darting over to the sketchbook in Evelyn’s hands. 

“Nothing, just jotting down my ideas so my brain doesn't explode.” She closed her sketchbook and tucked it away behind her before making her way towards the balcony table. “Care for a drink?”

“I see that we’re still on track to ‘drink-yourself-to-death-before-the-trial’,” Helen said, disapprovingly. 

Evelyn’s face broke out in a coy smile. “Actually, this is just iced tea, but if you want something stronger madam, I can certainly get something that’ll please you,” she joked. 

Helen laughed, hiding her smiling behind her hand. “Iced tea is fine, thank you.” 

Helen muttered a small thanks as she accepted the glass from Evelyn. Evelyn did look a lot better than she did a week ago. She looked like she was full of energy and the bags under her eyes weren’t as prominent as before.  

Helen tried stifling a yawn but failed miserably, her hand covering her mouth for what seemed like the longest yawn in the history of human existence. 

“Is it getting too late for baby mama to hang out?” Evelyn teased. 

Helen gave a quick glare to Evelyn as she wiped away the tears with her finger. “For your information, I haven’t slept more than 6 hours combined for the past three days,” she said, defending herself. “And  _ never _ call me that again.” 

Evelyn chuckled, and she chuckled even harder when Helen rolled her eyes in annoyance. 

“Why are you not getting enough sleep? Too much crime to fight?” 

“No, I…” Helen hesitated, her eyes wandering around without settling on a place. “I’ve been having trouble sleeping.”

“Oh,” Evelyn said, surprised. “Well then, welcome to Dr. Deavor’s office. I specialize in chronic insomnia,” she said, cheerfully. 

Helen snickered. “Sorry to question your qualification,  _ doctor _ , but do you even have a medical license to practice?”

“I do hold two PhD degrees, so that qualifies me as a doctor.” She bowed her head playfully. 

Helen’s eyes widened, a smile hanging on her lips at the sight of Evelyn’s playful behavior. “Really, two? In what?”

“In mechanical engineering and computer science, which closely relate to human sleeping pattern and associated behavioral therapy.” 

“That’s impressive,” Helen said, admiration conspicuous in her tone. “I mean your degrees, not your ridiculous made up part after that.” 

Evelyn felt warmth spreading across her chest, what strangely felt like pride. “Trust me, I can help you. Just lay down on the couch and we’ll just listen to some music,” she said, motioning Helen to follow as she walked into the condo. 

Helen followed timidly, her shoulders tense. She looked around the condo in caution. The condo was very neat and clean, most of the furniture and decorations in black and white with few interesting paintings hanging on the wall to add some color. The transparent glass walls gave a great view of the city. The condo was very stylish and chic, Helen couldn’t help but think that the place represented Evelyn’s style well. 

Evelyn sat on the coffee table with her legs straightened out, her ankles crossed. She motioned Helen to lay down on the couch in front of her. 

“I don’t know about this,” Helen said, lingering near the couch. 

“I’m not going to hypnotize you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Evelyn regretted her words just as it left her mouth, and she regretted saying anything at all when she saw Helen’s crestfallen face. 

It didn’t take very long for Helen’s eyes to flash with anger, and before she could storm out or tell Evelyn off, Evelyn opened her mouth in haste for damage control. “I’m sorry, that’s not-I wasn’t trying to-,” the words came out all jumbled together, as if her brain had stopped circuiting in the middle of processing a command. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

Suddenly, Helen felt like the situation was all too satirical. It felt ludicrous to see her attempted murderer apologizing to her for reminding her of the time that she was kidnapped and hypnotized. It was even more ludicrous to watch the attempted murderer’s blood drain from her face at the sign of Super’s anger. It was beyond incomprehensible to watch the attempted murderer trying to make Helen feel better, to help her with insomnia, when she was the core reason why she wasn’t able to sleep. 

Helen laid down on the couch and held her hands together over her stomach. 

Evelyn raised her head in surprise, to see the red and black tights over her white couch. Helen raised her head and looked at Evelyn with her eyebrows raised, giving her a ‘well?’ look without having to say so. Evelyn fumbled with a rectangular tablet beside her in a hurry. 

A sound finally started resonating in the living room through the speakers, what strangely sounded like-

“Wait, this was your genius idea? Listening to raindrops and thunder would help me sleep?” Her voice reeked with disbelief. 

“What, you don’t like the rain?”

“I mean it’s nice sometimes, but it gets all gloomy and depressing fast. I like sunshine and clear skies, where you can go out for a walk or go on a bike ride.”

Evelyn smiled secretly inside, she expected that from the upbeat and event cheerful Elastigirl. “I like rain, it’s nice to listen to raindrops when you’re cozy in bed. It’s fun to look outside too with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.”

“I never would’ve pegged you for a sentimental type,” Helen scoffed.

“And I never would have pegged you for a rebellious type. Who would’ve thought that a suburban mom of three had a mohawk and rode a motorcycle back in the day.” 

Helen covered her face with her arms, she felt her face grow hot all of sudden. It wasn’t a particularly a secret, and she wasn’t embarrassed of her past, but the thought of Evelyn seeing her with such haircut made her feel tingly inside. “You know about that?” She groaned. 

“Hey, I was the one who did all the research. I gotta say, I’m a fan in some ways.” 

Helen felt like her face was about to burst. “Can we just listen to your raindrop sound?” She mumbled. 

Evelyn chuckled. “If you think raindrops are boring, we can add some soothing instrumental sound to it.” 

Evelyn toyed with her tablet, and soon, smooth piano sounds started playing along with the raindrop and occasional thunder. Helen was surprised that it was actually enjoyable to listen to, and comforting in some ways. She imagined herself in a garden, watching the raindrops grazing the plants and their leaves as it showered from above. She lowered her arms to uncover her eyes. She relaxed her shoulders and soon, her breathing steadied. 

It wasn’t long after that she fell asleep, and Evelyn couldn’t help but wonder why this woman had barely enough sleep to function in the past three days. She didn’t seem like the passionate type who would neglect her basic health in pursuit of crime fighting. Mr. Incredible would fit that description better. Evelyn traced her eyes along Helen’s sleeping face. She looked so peaceful in sleep, her face soft without worries or concerns. Her frown line was barely noticeable, and her small mouth was closed in content. 

Evelyn got up and disappeared into the hall, reappearing again moments later with a blanket in her hand. She put it over Helen as gently as she could, hoping it wouldn’t wake her up. She grabbed her sketchbook from the balcony and quietly plopped herself down on a white leather chair next to Helen’s couch. After quickly glancing over and checking that Helen was still asleep, Evelyn opened her sketchbook. 

* * *

It may have been about an hour or so when Evelyn noticed labored breath coming from her left. At first, she thought that Elastigirl just had an unusual snore. But when the labored breath turned into pants and pained moans, she immediately realized that something was wrong. She quickly shot up from her seat and walked over to Helen. There were beads of sweat running down her face, and she brows were knitted together in pain. Small whines escaped her mouth, as her chest heaved violently to suck in the oxygen that was lacking.

Evelyn uncovered the blanket and sat on the edge of the couch. She gently grabbed Helen’s right hand and squeezed it. “Elastigirl, wake up,” she said in a calm voice, as best she could muster. “Wake up, you’re having a bad dream.” She said, a little louder as she squeezed her hand a harder. 

Helen finally opened her eyes, frantically roaming around her surroundings before locking eyes with Evelyn. Helen flinched, instinctively clutching her hands hard. Evelyn grimaced in pain as Super clutched her hand, but she had barely time to dwell on it when she saw Helen’s eyes were full of panic and fear. 

Evelyn squeezed her hand back gently in assurance, and she brought her other hand up to squeeze Helen’s shoulder to bring her senses back. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re awake now,” she cooed, as she circled her thumb on Helen’s shoulder. 

Helen slowly pushed herself off the couch with her elbows, half sitting up. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and released it slowly, trying to regain control of her breathing. She sat there for a minute or two, just inhaling and exhaling until she felt confident that she could breathe again. 

Her eyes fluttered open, and she met those blue eyes again. It wasn’t the callous cold blue eye she remembered in the jet, it was soft and wide with worry. She looked down and saw Evelyn’s hand on her shoulder, and Evelyn’s other hand holding on her hand tightly. Helen let go and pushed herself off the couch, and Evelyn took her hands off and scooter back, giving Helen space to sit up. 

“Let me get you some water,” Evelyn said, quickly striding way. 

Helen nestled her face in her hands, letting out a deep sigh. It was always physically and emotionally exhausting to have these nightmares, and it didn’t make it any easier that someone else actually witnessed her going through it.

“Here,” Evelyn said as she handed her a glass of water. 

Helen took it without thanks and took a sip. She fixed her gaze on the rippling water that soon settled. She saw feet settling near the couch in the corner of her eye. 

“I think you might need this too.” Evelyn offered a business card with a determined look.

Helen took it and quickly skimmed the card. “A counseling psychologist? You think I’m insane?” She asked, her voice raised. 

“No, it’s not what you think,” Evelyn started. “If you had a really bad flu, you would go see a doctor because they know how to help you, right? It’s the same thing with therapists. They will know how to help you through this.”

The amount of sincerity in Evelyn’s voice was something Helen was not used to.   

“They can help you find the right direction, that’s all. It’s nice to have someone who can objectively look at your situation and provide insight without judgement.”

Sudden rush of anger stormed Helen’s eyes. It was insulting at best that the sole reason she couldn’t function like a normal person was telling her to seek help. 

“What do you know about any of this? About me? Who are  _ you  _ to suggest that I go see a psychologist?” Helen’s anger reverberated through the living room. 

Evelyn almost jerked at the violent outrage, she gripped the edge of the coffee table tighter. “I don’t know anything about what you’re going through, and I don’t know enough about you to help.” She admitted with ease. “A week ago, I asked you why you were here, and you didn’t answer.”

Evelyn paused, giving Helen time to chime in, but when she didn’t say anything, Evelyn continued. 

“I think you came looking for me after court because you wanted closure. But instead, you saw me struggling, so you came here to make sure that I was doing okay. You put your own feelings aside when you see someone else in trouble because that’s who you are, but being here with me won’t help you.” 

Her brows were relaxed and her mouth set in a hard line, as if she was about to deliver bad news. 

“So this is all I can do for you, refer you to someone who can help you,” she said, as she darted her eyes to the business card that’s settled in Helen’s hands. “And making sure that you stay away before I do further damage.” 

Their eyes locked, and neither one of them tried to look away. The only sound that could be heard was their shallow breaths.

“What were you going to say,” Helen inquired. “The other night, you never finished your thought. What were you going to say?”

Evelyn studied Helen’s face, thinking briefly if she should answer. “I was going to say that I never should’ve ignored my instincts and went ahead with you as our campaign hero, because I knew that you were more than my numbers and analytics. That I never should’ve met you, because I never thought I would-,” she stopped herself mid sentence again, closing her mouth and clenching her jaws from preventing herself from saying anything further. 

“Say it,” Helen demanded. “If you’re saying that this is the last time we’ll meet, I deserve to hear it.” 

Evelyn crinkled her brows and smirked, a combination that seemed out of place. She had a look in her eyes that Helen couldn’t read. “Because I never thought I’d be so fond of you, even after I ruined your life and you, mine.”

Helen stopped breathing, her eyes searching for an answer for what she meant, but Evelyn didn’t give her time for an answer. Evelyn quickly got up and strutted away to the balcony before Helen could ask. Helen looked down at the business card in her hands and realized that this was Evelyn’s apology, opting to walk out of Helen’s life so she can have peace. 

* * *

Evelyn leaned against the balcony fence, her arms holding her up as she looked down at the city. She could barely see the end of the building, the endless distance made her arm hair stick up. She felt a sudden urge to jump, and she wondered if Elastigirl would rescue her if she did.

“I guess this is it then.” 

Evelyn turned around, meeting the masked woman’s eyes. She was only a few steps away from Evelyn. She wished she could see her face, to see her without a barrier. 

Helen silently offered her gloved hand, and Evelyn took it. They shook their hands slowly, and Evelyn couldn’t help but think that Elastigirl’s gloves felt detached in her hand. 

Helen withdrew her hand and touched her mask briefly, giving Evelyn an alarmed look. She was so disoriented before, she hadn’t thought about the safety of her identity. 

Evelyn smiled bitterly at the panic that flashed in Helen’s eyes. “Don’t worry, I didn’t look.” 

“Why didn’t you?” She asked, lowering her hand. 

“I think it’s better that I don’t know who you are outside of your hero suit.” 

And Helen understood that she meant that in more ways than for the sake of her identity. She gave a small nod before turning away and jumping off the building. Before Evelyn knew it, Elastigirl was gone, out of her sight. 

 


	7. An Exception

Helen timidly poked a head through the door and quickly scanned the room. There was a receptionist sitting behind the desk, busily typing away on the keyboard, her eyes fixed on the computer screen. She forced herself to open the door wide enough to walk in. She stood in front of the receptionist, patiently waiting for her to notice her presence. She looked younger than her, maybe in her mid twenties, or maybe her round glasses made her look younger than she actually was. 

“Oh, hello there, how are you doing today?” A cheerful voice greeted Helen.

“I’m doing fine, how are you?” Helen answered politely. This woman would probably never guess that Helen was uncertain and uncomfortable to be here. 

The twenty something brunette showed a bright smile, and it helped Helen relax a little. "I’m doing great! Thanks for asking. Do you have an appointment with Dr. Stewart today?” 

“Yes I do, under Helen Parr.” Her eyes nervously darted down to the back of the computer in front of the receptionist, hoping it would provide further answers to the questions she may have.  

The woman typed quickly and clicked her mouse a few times, and with a smile, so looked up. “All checked in, Mrs. Parr. Please have a seat, Dr. Stewart will be with you shortly.” 

Helen muttered a short thank you before settling on a chair furthest away from the office door which she presumed to be Dr. Stewart’s office. She picked at the magazines on the table in front of her mainly to stop her fidgeting. She had an impulse to start biting her nails, but she didn’t have any nails left to chew on from the past two weeks of her mind going crazy from debating whether she should go see a psychologist. 

The door creaked open and there appeared a middle aged woman, perhaps in her mid or late fifties, in a white blouse and a trouser. She had gray hair that reached her collarbone, and her green eyes smiled warmly behind her metal framed glasses. “Mrs. Parr? Hi I’m Elizabeth Stewart, it’s very nice to meet you,” she said, extending her hand.

“Likewise.” Helen accepted the hand and shook it, noticing how warm it was. 

“Please, come on in.” She held the door open for Helen, gesturing her to come in. 

Helen looked around the room, the big mahogany table that sat near the window seemed a little intimidating at first, but the comfortable looking couch and chairs with colorful cushions on it made the office feel a little homey. 

“You can have a seat anywhere you like,” Elizabeth said as she walked to the back of the table to grab her notepad and pen. 

Helen opted to take a seat at the middle of the long couch where a light blue cushion sat. She picked it up and put it on her lap, lightly squeezing it in her hand. It looked awfully close to the color of a certain villain's eyes. Eyes she hasn’t seen for a week, eyes she may never see again. 

“How are you doing today? It wasn’t difficult to find your way to my office, was it?” She asked, startling Helen awake from her train of thought. 

“N-No, not at all. It was very easy to find your office,” Helen stammered out. “I’m doing good, I guess. I think.” It sounded more of a question to herself than a statement. “How are you?” She asked, quickly redirecting the conversation back to the woman in front of her. 

The therapist had a patient smile on her, letting Helen work out her thought process without interrupting. “I’m doing well, thank you for asking.” She shifted slightly in her seat to sit up more upright. “Before we began, Helen, when we spoke on the phone, you said that Evelyn Deavor gave you a referral and that this was your first time in therapy. I wanted to let you know that what we discuss will remain strictly confidential under patient therapist confidentiality agreement, your alias included.”

Suddenly, Helen was fully aware of the reason why she was here in the first place. Her eyes flashed in panic and confusion, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Elizabeth. “My-, what do you mean?”

“I apologize if I’m being too direct, but being open with each other is really the key to success of our sessions, although I know it may be difficult for you open up to someone you’ve just met,” she explained, her calm demeanor not changing as she spoke. “I put two and two together, the fact that Evelyn referred you, as well as the fact that you look awfully a lot like the current favorite Super out there.” She gave a reassuring smile, trying to show that she means no harm. “Which is why I wanted to tell you this the first thing before we started, I am bound by law to keep our conversations confidential, so your secret is safe with me.”

Helen let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. “This is all so new to me. I guess I’m having a hard time admitting that I’m actually here, that I  _ need _ to be here.”

The women tangled her hands together on her notepad that rested on her crossed knees. “Helen, think of this as a brainstorming session to think of ways to solve a problem that’s been on your mind lately. I’m aware of how a visit to the psychologist is portrayed to the society, but the people who come to see me aren’t here because they’re having psychiatric breakdown. Some come for depression, some come because of their childhood trauma, and some come after a bad breakup with their significant other.”

Helen couldn’t help but laugh a little at that last remark. 

“I’m here to listen, to see if I can provide some insight for you.” 

Helen gave a little nod, her tranquil green eyes gave her the affirmation that it may just be okay to talk to her about what’s been bothering her. “I’ve been having trouble sleeping, since the day of,” she closed her eyes shut briefly. “Since the day on the EverJust.” 

“Are you having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep?”

“Both. I feel like I can’t shut off my brain when I close my eyes to go to sleep, so I spend hours and hours laying in bed, watching my thoughts unfold. And when I do finally fall asleep, I don’t stay asleep for long. I always have this dream,” she furrowed her brows, “like I’m being suffocated. I wake up panting for air, my shirt wet with sweat. It takes me a while to calm myself down, to learn to breathe again.” 

Elizabeth hummed and nodded in understanding, her eyes darting down occasionally to scribble words onto her notepad. “When you can’t turn off your brain, what kind of thoughts do you have that makes you spin your wheels all night?” She asked, her fingers supporting her chin, her eyes curious and questioning. 

Helen fidgeted with the cushion, looking down at the serene blue and following the stitch lines with her eyes. “I think about her,” she admitted. “I think about our conversations when we first met and when we were learning to work together, what she said to me in the jet, and the fall.” Her hand clenched the cushion in her hands, crumpling it into an unrecognizable shape. “It’s an endless loop, and the more I think about it, the more frustrated I feel, to have all these thoughts tangled in my head without knowing how to stop it.” 

The scratching sound of the pen stopped briefly. “Is that why you went to see Evelyn?”

“Yes, I thought I could find the answers to the questions that I didn’t even know how to ask.” Helen looked up and saw her therapist’s gaze, urging her to go on. “I didn’t, get any answers I mean. I still don’t know how to make sense of all of this.”

“Well, what are the questions that flood your mind? What questions did you want answered when you went to see her?”

She looked down at the coffee table between the two. She studied the table for a minute, noticing a tiny water stain at the edge of the table, she wondered it if was stained with water or tears. “Why she bothered to get to know me in the first place, if she was only using me. Why she looked so angry at me in the cryonic chamber, when I wasn’t the one who was responsible for her parents’ death.” The words came out slowly, but it came out without breaking or cutting off. She blinked a few times before she continued. “Why she chose to fall into the abyss instead of letting me save her.”

Although not fully knowing all the details of the events that transpired between Helen and Evelyn, Elizabeth read between the lines to figure out what must’ve happened all the while taking notes, observing Helen’s mood and behavior, and processing Helen’s thoughts. 

“Why I still care about her to show up to her place to check on her, or why I feel sad that she doesn’t have anyone to look after her, not even herself.” It came out in a whisper, almost like a confession from a sinner to the priest. 

“It doesn’t seem like those questions are something that can be answered by her,” Elizabeth noted. “Why do you think you’re so emotionally invested in her? Is it a common occurrence for you to be attached to your colleagues, someone you’ve arrested or helped before?”

“I’m not-I’m not attached to her. I just-,” she stopped herself, letting out a huff. “No, It’s not common for me to be attached to my colleagues or to someone that I’ve arrested or helped before. Evelyn is… An exception.” 

A deadly silence settled over them. Helen refused to meet the woman’s eyes, instead, opting to settle her eyes on the blue cushion in her hands once again.

Elizabeth began when the stubborn silence dragged out. “Helen, we all tend to want to know the reason why someone would hurt us. Why that girl in high school gossiped about me, when I wasn’t nothing but nice to her. Why that neighbor always chooses to look the other way when I say hello.” She clicked her pen, putting it on her notepad quietly. “I think that you were doing the same thing here, but seeing Evelyn’s struggles, you couldn’t help but feel obligated to help, as anyone would, when you see someone in pain.” 

Helen couldn’t help but let out a sad chuckle. “That’s what she said.” 

“Evelyn told you that?” Elizabeth asked in surprise. 

Helen gave a curt nod. “She gave me your card and said that I should stay away, so she couldn’t do more damage.” 

Elizabeth’s eyes were wide, curiosity roaming her eyes. “She’s right, I think the space between you two is a good place to start. From what I’ve gathered today, it seems like your symptoms are directly related to your recent traumatic event. There is no official term for it yet, but psychologists and research analysts alike call it Post-Trauma Symptoms in our publications. We’ve discovered that soldiers after a war, or victims who’ve suffered emotional or physical abuse experience recurring intrusive thoughts and often physical symptoms that accompany it.” 

She paused, giving the other woman time to process her words to not overwhelm her with information. 

“It’ll take time to get better, Helen, but I’ve seen tremendous results in my patients so far. Often, it also has to do with the person’s will to overcome this sudden change in their lives, and I can see that you’ve got quite the fire in you,” she said, nodding her head in acknowledgement. 

Helen sheepishly tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, smiling gratefully at the woman in front of her. 

“Have you tried discussing what you’ve been going through with your family?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t want to make them worried. I’m usually the one who’s holding the family together. I’m not sure if they’ll know what to do when they realize that I’m,” she searched for a better word, “lost.”

“You don’t have to discuss your thoughts and how you feel about it if you don’t want to, but I think it’s important that your family knows of your struggles.” The woman gave an encouraging smile. “Maybe they can handle a little more than you give them credit for.” 

* * *

“Thanks for coming Helen, I will see you tomorrow at one.”

“You got it,” Helen said, lightheartedly. Surprisingly, she felt a lot better after talking to Elizabeth, like a weight has lifted from her chest. She found comfort in the fact that she wasn't the only one who’s gone through a change after a traumatic event, and she found clarity on what she had to do get better, for her family and herself. 

“Can I please have a copy of the bill?” She asked as she approached the receptionist. 

“Oh, no worries Mrs. Parr. Your bills have been paid already.” 

Helen’s brows furrowed in confusion, she had purposely avoided giving them her medical insurance card in fear of having a written record of seeing a psychologist. “What do you mean?”

“It says here that your medical bills have been taken care of in advance,” she said, turning her computer screen so Helen could take a look at it herself. “Some patients like to prepay in cash, so to not leave a medical record that they’ve been here,” she added.

Helen vaguely heard the girl saying how she doesn’t think there should be a social stigma for seeking therapeutic treatments, but her eyes were focused on the rain falling through a small window next to where the girl was sitting. She forgot to bring her umbrella, she would have to make a run to her car, but maybe she could have a cup of coffee and watch rain fall when she got home. 

* * *

“Honey, can we talk for a minute?” Helen asked, looking up from the edge of the bed when Bob entered the bedroom with a tired face and a bruised lips, but his eyes were shining with triumph.

“You have no idea what kind of day I had today-,” he started in excitement, but he held his words when he saw Helen’s solemn face. “What’s going on?” 

Their tired eyes met, each tired with different reasons. Helen spoke, maybe for the first time since their fight in the living room when Bob was caught fighting crime without Helen’s consent, and Bob listened. 

It was a long night, filled with silent whispers and mumbled revelations. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I marked this fic as slowburn, right?


	8. I Should Not Be Seeing You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connie Conway - I Should Not Be Seeing You  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_JRm6TjFsY

Helen’s eyes squinted at the sunlight that seeped through the barely visible gap between the curtains. She glanced at the alarm clock briefly, noting that it was Friday, which meant that she had to send the kids off to school and hand off Jack-Jack to Bob before she headed out for her appointment with Dr. Stewart.  

Visits with Dr. Stewart had become a regular part of Helen’s week, setting aside an hour for each day for three days of the week. It was difficult at first, to recall her vivid memories of the incident and to discuss it through with her. They started from the beginning and worked their way towards more triggering memories, her imprisonment at the cryo chamber, being mind controlled into attacking her family and friends, the near-death experience in the jet, and the aftermath of it all. 

She had felt a lot better, after going over the events with Dr. Stewart, and her treatment for her insomnia has been going well. Helen was slowly coming around to her normal sleeping schedule, having less and less nightmares when she was asleep. Things were going back to normal, the only change being that Bob had taken a supportive role. He was more hands-on than Helen could’ve ever expect, taking care of the kids and encouraging Helen to go roam the street on free nights to clean up the “hot mess” as he liked to call it. He even had one of his former contacts to build her a new elasticycle, which was greatly appreciated, but Helen couldn’t help but compare it to the one that a certain woman had built for her. 

Things were better than Helen could ever hope for, and yet, Helen had this brief passing loneliness that she felt at the happiest moments in her life. Like when she was having a nice dinner with her family that Bob, of all people, cooked, or when she was having a movie night with the family. Or when she was about to fall asleep with her head resting on her husband’s chest. 

When she got Winston’s invitation to his party, in celebration of his investigation clearance, her heart picked up its pace. It had been two months since she last saw Evelyn, and despite the fact that she knew that Evelyn was no longer a threat to herself, Helen couldn’t help stop thinking about her. Maybe she was still worried about her, or maybe she still felt like she needed an apology after what she had done to her, or maybe she just missed her. 

Helen had still some time to sleep before the alarm went off to start the day, so she laid in bed, tensed her body for a few seconds before relaxing it. She took deep breaths, slowly inhaling and exhaling, a routine she set for herself to help her clear her mind and relax her body. But no matter how  many times she repeated, she couldn’t clear her mind, her body betraying her at the thought of seeing Evelyn again. 

* * *

She didn’t think her neck could hurt from craning her neck, after all, she had the flexibility of a rubber band. She had searched the room like a hawk for three hours, craning her neck inconspicuously as best as she could, but she couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Evelyn’s shadow. Sure, she understood that it was reasonable for Winston to not invite her to this party, given that the investigation started because of her in the first place. She understood it all, but she couldn’t help but feel disappointed when she didn’t see Evelyn’s somewhat unruly hair poking out of the crowd.

The large ballroom in his estate felt all too stuffy, and the ‘greet an grin’ smile Helen had plastered on her face for the last three hours were wearing her down. There were simply too many people, Winston’s rich friends, government officials, company representatives, and Supers were all mingled together, and despite the large open space, Helen felt clustered. She need some air. The spandex that clung to her body felt too tight, so much for being made out of Egyptian cotton. 

She left her drink behind and started roaming around the hall until she saw a slightly agape door. She opened and walked into a room that looked like a study at her first glance, but Helen couldn’t help but find herself to be astonished at what seemed like infinite number of books, the walls itself being the bookshelves. She walked around, her fingers gently dragging across the spines of books. The room was dark, the only thing that lit up the room being the moonlight that gleamed through the opened double doors on the second floor of the library. 

Helen slowly followed the stairway that lead up to the doors, minding her each step, to find herself standing near the door, unable to move. Her heart started beating faster, and she knew it wasn’t because she had just climbed a set of stairs. 

There she was, her arms over the stone balcony fence, just as she remembered seeing her last time. She wanted to remember it all, the way her hair fell over her face so effortlessly, the way her black mini dress hugged her curves so perfectly as if a seamstress had made it just for Evelyn, and the way her dress politely covered her collarbones but showed off her graceful arms and long legs just enough to leave everything to the imagination.

“Still getting away to keep it pure?” She felt a slight tremble in her voice as she spoke. She blamed it on the brisk breeze that grazed her as she crossed over the threshold. It was nearing the end of summer, just on the brink of beginning of fall. 

“Something like that,” Evelyn said as she turned her head, smile grazing her lips. Her eyes sparkled with mirth at the sight of Helen. “What about you?” 

Helen shrugged. “Just getting some fresh air. It’s hard to be around all those people, when I know that they want me for their own vendetta.” She hoped that Evelyn wouldn’t see the irony in her words. 

“Tell me about it,” she said with knowing eyes. 

“At least you get to see Winston. Have you talked to him yet?”

Evelyn avoided her eyes. “No, I didn’t want to spoil his big night. He invited me because I’m his sister, and I’m happy he did despite the scandal, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to deal with these people.” 

Helen looked at her with what Evelyn could only guess as sympathy. “Don’t worry, rich people don’t tell you off to your face. They just find ways to politely insult you, using their clever word plays and insinuations.” Evelyn frowned for a moment, as if she was genuinely upset, but before Helen knew it, it changed into a smirk. “And those that don’t are betting on the fact that I’ll recover my social status. They think that I’ll be grateful for their kindness, that I would repay them when they need my help.” She let out a chuckle, as if she found her words to be hilarious. 

Evelyn ignored the shock and growing sympathy in Super’s eyes. 

“So nothing’s really new to me, I’ve been dealing with these kinds of people as long as I can remember,” she brushed it off nonchalantly. She turned, her body fully facing Helen now. “You can’t give anything unless you expect to get something in return here, it’s the rule of the fat and rich.” 

Helen looked at her for a second, debating whether she should ask the question. “So why did you do it?” Helen implored. “Why did you pay for my therapy sessions? You have nothing to gain from doing that.”

“Because,” she paused, her soft gaze studying Helen's face. Her tender look caused a strange ache in Helen's chest. “Because of what we owe to each other.”

The idea of owing something to each other seemed like a strange notion to Helen when they didn’t even have a relationship to begin with. To Helen’s knowledge, Evelyn didn’t even know her name. Could you really owe someone if you didn’t know them? 

It was then, Helen tugged at her gloves’ fingertips, pulling the glove off from her hand. She did the same to the other glove, laying the pair on the surface of the stone fence to her right. She raised her hands, her fingers playing with the edge of her mask briefly before taking it off in one motion. She put the mask on of her gloves and looked up at the frozen blue eyes, intently staring at her. 

They stopped for a moment, drinking in each other’s sight, without barriers, without secrets, and without boundaries. 

She offered her hand, much like she did before some time ago, but this time, she offered more than her hand. 

“Helen.”

Evelyn looked down at the bare hand. A tentative touch. She took it in her hand delicately, as if Helen might pull away if she grabbed it with too much force. It felt warm in her hand, the heat radiating through her body. Evelyn had an urge to turn Helen’s hand and kiss the back of her hand, to press her lips against the soft skin. 

She knew that Elastigirl’s name was Helen for some time now. Mr. Incredible had blurted out her name in panic when she attacked him under Evelyn’s control. She refused to take advantage of a stolen glance of Elastigirl’s personal life. Perhaps it was a reward from higher power above for Evelyn’s good deed. Evelyn was given a permission to enter Helen’s world. 

“Helen,” Evelyn repeated, savoring the word as she said it. She wanted to say the name again, again, and again until she ran out of breath. 

Evelyn said her name, and they met for the first time. 

“Pleasure to meet you,” Helen whispered.  

When she saw Helen’s smiling eyes, she couldn’t stop herself from lowering her head and pressing a gentle kiss on Helen’s warm hand. Evelyn's eyes fluttered shut, a light flowery smell of Helen's lotion made her dizzy. “ _ Tout le plaisir est pour moi, _ ” she whispered back, looking up. 

Their eyes met, and neither one of them dared to move or breathe. 

It was at that moment that gave Helen the clarity and self-realization to finally admit to herself that it wasn’t an apology or obligation that evoked her want to see Evelyn. She found herself in an uncharted territory, and her instincts were telling her that it was dangerous, deadly enough to ruin her life. So she fled, mumbling a quick excuse as she grabbed her gloves and mask in a hurry. She put the gloves and mask back as she ran down the stairs, and without looking back, she ran out of the library. 

* * *

 

She needed a drink, a water or vodka she didn’t care which. She grabbed the nearest champagne glass and drained its contents, hoping the alcohol would calm her nerves or get rid of the tingling feelings in her body. The upbeat music that the band was playing made her head swirl. It was too loud, there were too many people, and there was too much light. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing her senses to wind down, willing her feelings away. 

“Honey, are you okay? You look a little pale,” Bob said, running the back of his hand against Helen’s face. 

Helen jumped, not expecting to see her husband to be in such close proximity out of nowhere. Bob flinched in surprise. “Are you having one of those flashbacks again? Do you want to get out of here?” He asked, his face stained with concern. 

Helen looked at her husband’s eyes pleadingly, as if she was searching for an answer to a question she didn’t ask. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could sound her voice, she was interrupted by the band’s singer. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I believe it’s time for a slow dance,” a tall man in a tuxedo announced, his hands hovering the mic stand. 

Bob raised his eyebrows and offered his hand, nostalgia evident in his eyes. Helen didn’t have to guess that he was thinking about their wedding day, the way they slowed dance for the first time ever as Mr. and Mrs. Parr. Helen gave him a wary look, but she folded her hand over his, and with a short introduction, the band started playing a slow instrumental melody. 

Helen had just started swaying to the music when she turned and met those blue eyes that were gazing at her from a distant. The singer’s low voice resonated in the ballroom through the speakers, and lovers alike closed their eyes as they swayed to his sound. 

 

_ I should not be seeing you _

_ Nor should you be seeing me _

_ We know that it can never be _

_ You and I together _

 

_ I should not want to be around you _

_ Nor should you be want to be around me _

_ It’s all because of that feeling _

_ The feeling the first time we met _

 

_ If you knew, knew how blue _

_ How lonely I have come to be _

_ You would do, do your utmost  _

_ To destroy that feeling, that feeling for me _

 

_ I should not be thinking of you _

_ Nor should you be thinking of me _

_ We know that it can never be _

_ You and I together  _

 

Helen swayed to the music, her eyes never leaving Evelyn’s. She felt as if there was an unbreakable spell that bound her to Evelyn. She desperately clung to her husband’s hand and chest, hoping he could. 

The song was coming to an end.

Helen saw a blonde woman approaching Evelyn. She knew that woman, it was Evelyn’s lawyer. She couldn’t help but notice how beautiful their dresses mashed so well together, her sparkling white evening gown looking as if it had been designed to flatter the black dress Evelyn was wearing. The sharp contrast in their looks complimented each other well, the brunette against blonde, the blue eyes against gold, and their long legs that stretched for miles made them seem like movie stars, or perhaps models she would see on Vogue magazine. 

The blonde whispered something in Evelyn’s ear, snaking her arm around Evelyn’s left arm as she did so. Evelyn gave a one final look at Helen before turning away, and before she knew it, they were making their way through the crowd, the blonde’s hand still holding onto Evelyn’s arm. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't be uploading as often from Mid December to late January. So in case I don't return for a while, happy Holidays and New Years to all my readers, I send you all my love! 
> 
> I absolutely will work towards finishing this story. The whole reason why I started writing this story is because I wanted to see specific scenes where Evelyn and Helen fall for each other, so it will come with patience! 
> 
> I thank you all for your comments and Kudos, I really appreciate them all!


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